


When You First Took My Hand On A Cold Christmas Eve

by skywokers



Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Light Angst, Song Lyrics, some light dadriel feels in there too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-01-30 18:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21432562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skywokers/pseuds/skywokers
Summary: Lyra has always wondered where she came from. And on her 11th birthday her father finally tells her the story of what happened one Christmas Eve, when Broadway-starlet to be Marisa Coulter met the infamous explorer Lord Asriel.
Relationships: Lord Asriel/Marisa Coulter, Lyra Belacqua & Lord Asriel
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a post in a HDM discord.

_Lyra lay in her bed as she heard her father, Asriel, come home. She was used to him rarely being at home as his job kept him moving. But she also always appreciated that he would always come home for her birthday. She smiled, rolled over, and fell asleep knowing that he was there for her._

_That morning, Lyra woke early and bounded sown the stairs to the kitchen. She was surprised to see her father there already awake, given how late he got home at. He sat at the kitchen table reading the morning paper and sipping a cup of coffee. On table next to him was a plate which featured Lyras favourite breakfast food, and two small parcels._

_“Morning Lyra,” said Asriel as she sat next to him for breakfast._

_“Morning Dad” she replied. “How was your trip?”_

_“As exciting as always. But never mind that- here, Happy Birthday.” He slid the parcels closer to Lyra. She tore into them. One was a book about the north that she had admired, and the other was a small trinket which Lyra knew he had brought back from his latest expedition._

_“Thank You!” she exclaimed with a genuine love for her gifts- but, a smirk had begun to cross her face. “But of course you know what I really want don’t you…”_

_Asriel rolled his eyes as he looked at her. This was an annual tradition of theirs- Lyra would say that what she really wanted was to know about her mother, and Asriel would give her a small snippet of what she was like._

_But something had changed. This year he’d giver more than just a snippet of her. This year, he was going to tell her **everything**._

\---

It was Christmas Eve in New York City. For most people it would be a night for staying in with the family. But for the cities most elite individuals, it was a night for attending the annual Explorers Gala at the New York branch of the Royal Artic Institute. And at tonights event, the infamous Lord Asriel has made a speech about his time in the Artic with the legendary explorer Stan Grumman.

Marisa strolled elegantly through the main hall of the institute, introducing herself to anyone whom she did not know. Of course as a rising starlet on the Broadway scene _everyone_ knew who she was. And the fact that she was married to one of the top producers in Broadway helped too. But tonight was not her normal scene. So, she felt compelled to make herself known, even though it was completely unnecessary.

Marisa had always been compelled by the idea of _The North_. Ever since she was a young girl she had had dreams of exploring the Artic regions. But they were not proper _feminine _dreams, as her mother said. So she pursued a life in NYC; on Broadway; on the arm of the most important man in the business. 

The types of people at this event were definitely the types of people that she was used to. Smartly dressed, with polite chatter, and a glass of champagne that was always exactly half-way full. They lived lives that should have been interesting, but they themselves were awfully boring. Much to Marisa disappointment.

“So the rumours are true. Broadway _has_ come to my little talk” said a man from behind Marisa. As she turned to face him she instantly recognised him as the famed British explorer Lord Asriel Belacqua.

“Well the stories you tell are almost as fantastical as the ones we put on stage” she replied with a flirty smile, before stretching out her hand. “Marisa Coulter”.

“Asriel” he replied, shaking her hand. He was only slightly taller than her. And whilst he was appropriately dressed for the event, he also seemed to bring with him an air of rugged adventure, that was quite out of place at such a gala. His hair was messy, and beard only barely groomed.

“So did you enjoy my little presentation?” he asked in an almost humoured tone.

“I did. Very much so. Your account of the time you spent with Stan Grumman was fascinating. Truth be told, I think my husband would like to turn it into a play of sorts. At least I think that’s why he agreed to come with me tonight.”

“He’s here is he? How odd- if I was married to someone such as yourself I’d never leave your side” said Asreil, with a smirk on his face.

Marisa laughed. “Oh he got talking to one of his old cronies. I know better than to get between him and a good old catch up” Marisa shuffled her weight from one foot to another with a sense of anxiety.

“But never mind me. How are _you_? Are you enjoying America?” she asked in an attempt to get the conversation away from her personal life.

“Well it’s true as they say- there really are rivers of gold. But, the wind goes right through you. It's no place for the old” replied Asriel, as if he was making a reference to an ancient philosophy which Maria knew nothing of.

Asriel smiled at Marisa. “Come on, this place is not the scene for the likes of you and me. Let me take you somewhere with a bit more character.” He took her hand. She smiled in return, but pulled her hand away from his grasp. She _knew_ that she shouldn’t go with this man, but there was something about him. A dangerous sense of adventure that she craved more than anything right now.

“It may not be your scene, but it is definitely mine” she replied, with a perfect poise to her action. 

“What’s wrong? Do you need your husband’s permission?” asked Asriel in a mocking tone.

Marisa scowled at him. She knew that it wasn't meant seriously; that at that moment she should have walked away; and that this was all part of an act. This was a dangerous game of flirting they were playing.

“You’re a scumbag” replied Marisa. Her pulsed raced.

“And a maggot" answered Asriel, with a cool tone. "Someone also once called me a cheap lousy faggot, but I don’t really agree with that.”

Marisa’s attempt to keep a certain level of disdain towards Asriel broke. She laughed at his display of self-depravation. Asriel smiled back. They both knew that he had one this game- that she would go with him. But, Marisa still maintained a level of _properness_ that was expected of her. 

“Ok, one drink, at a location of your choosing. But _nothing_ else” agreed Marisa with a flirty smile.

And with that she took his hand and they left the institute, fleeing into the cold winters night.


	2. Chapter 2

Asriel and Marisa dashed through the streets of New York. It was beginning to snow quite heavily, and Marisa was not dressed for the weather. Her heels were slipping on he icy ground and her jacket was rather sodden. But instead of complaining as she normally would, she grasped hold of Asriels arm and laughed at everything he said. They had been out for minutes, but already this was turning into the best night of her life. They eventually came to a stop out side a dive bar just a few blocks away from the institute.

“_Really_, this is where you’re taking me?” said Marisa as they entered the dark, damp bar.

“Don’t worry, this is only the first stop” replied Asriel.

“The first stop?” teased Marisa. “Someone is confident about tonight”.

Asriel replied with a wicked smile, before placing an order with the barman, and they took their seats at the bar.

“So to explain why we are here” began Asriel after taking a sip of his drink. “A few Christmas Eves ago I ended up in the drunk tank. There was an old man there, who started to talk to me about his life. He drank here- in this bar- almost every night and said that if I ever needed a drinking buddy I was to come and find him. As we talked the old man then said to me that he wouldn't see another Christmas Eve. I tried to convince him that he was being melodramatic, but he was convinced that that was his last Christmas. And then he sang a song- The Rare Old Mountain Dew.”

Asriel paused his story to take another drink. Marisa looked at him with a deep compassion. She could tell that he was rarely- if ever- this open with anyone. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Anyway” continued Asriel. “A few days into the New Year, I decided to come and find this man and buy him a drink. When I got here, I asked the barman about him. He said that the old man had died just the day before. He was right- he didn’t see another one. So I decided that if I was ever in New York on Christmas Eve ever again, I’d come here and have a drink for him.”

Marisa was stuck for words. “I never took you as the sentimental type.”

Asriel laughed. “I’m really not. But, if I can’t be sentimental at Christmas, when can I be?”

Marisa smiled. She raised he glass and said “To the Old Man!” Asriel raised his glass to match it.

\---

It was around 11:30 when they left the bar. They both had had too much to drink and were staggering down the street. Asriel had offered to get Marisa a taxi home, but she declined.

“It’s Christmas! If I can’t wonder the streets of this beautiful city tonight, then when can I!” she insisted.

So, they walked back to Marisas apartment together. They were both rather drunk- and if they had to admit it, both very much in love. Both young and beautiful; both smart and funny; both craving more from life than what they had. But both of them knowing that nothing could ever come of it.

As they reached the apartment building, they could here the NYPD choir singing in the distance.

"Galway Bay" murmured Marisa, staring up at Asriel. “I like this one.”

And then they heard the church bells ringing out- for it was now Christmas day.

Asriel pushed a side a strand of her hair. “Merry Christmas” he said.

“Merry Christmas” replied Marisa, staring longingly into his eyes.

Passion rose up within them. Asriel raised her chin and kissed her softly.

“I shouldn’t have done that. You’re a married woman.”

“True, but I’m glad you did” replied Marisa. Her heart was aching, and she knew his was too. They both wanted this, but both knew that they couldn’t.

“Well, if that’s you home safe, Mrs Coulter, then I shall wish you a good night and a Merry Christmas” said Asriel, standing up straighter and distancing himself from her slightly. He had to be proper. They had to be proper, no matter how much it hurt.

“It’s been a pleasure” replied Marisa, cold tears forming in her eyes. She held out her hand. Asriel took it and kissed it.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

And with that they turned away from each other. Neither one knowing that the other was dreaming about them.


End file.
